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I bought the version with the most memory. I figured that it was safer to spend a little extra and never run out of memory (which could be fatal).

What this means?
That for rigid tapping encoder must be on spindle shaft
or must be on 1:1 ratio with spindle shaft?
Other ratio configurations can't work for rigid tapping ?

I've been asked not to post any images or videos of the machines publicly, but if you want me to send you some, email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Ah, I took a look at the actual wiring on my machine. I get the A/B signals from the simulated encode in the servo drive and the Z (index) signal from the sensor that is looking at the slot in the disc on my spindle. That is how mine is able to work.

Thanks Andy

I have done some more investigating.

When I run the initial setup to probe the tool setter and the workpiece, I get
PROBE HT -55.990
BLOCK HT -70.610

Which would indicate the workpiece is 14.62mm below the toolsetter plane.

When I do a T1M6 (without physically changing the probe out) it errors as previously described.

If I move the machine manually to the workpiece height, I get Z70.610 in G54 coordinates. Notably, T1 now has an offset of -70.610 in the tool table.

It seems that, in G54 coordinates, the workpiece top should be Z0.

Perhaps the key is to probe the workpiece and set G54 Z(probe length) before making a tool change...?

Edit:

I am not sure what I did, other than put an M1 before the final return to the previous point.

Here's where I discovered an issue.

If the new tool is long enough to cause the return to point (in G54) to be out of bounds (in G53) it errors just the same.

So, there needs to be some logic that checks if the previously saved tool position will put the machine out of limits. Then, I think there should be a "Z SAFE TRAVEL" variable which the user can set as a minimum height to travel on during the tool change. This would account for the Z0 position not being the same height as the top of the workpiece.
Then, the logic checks to see if the tool tip is between G53 Z(Max) and Z SAFE TRAVEL. If so, move to the XY position at whatever Z height it's currently at. If not, move to Z SAFE TRAVEL then to XY.

I suppose the 'Z_MAX_CLEAR' parameter in the ini is supposed to do that, but it seems counterintuitive to be forced to change it for every new setup.

Of course, if I had a mill with more than 120mm Z Travel, that would probably help...

Hello PCW,
Thanks for the reply. Below is the output from the command line run. There is another error that sometimes appears but not in this run.
AT-SPI: Could not obtain desktop path or name.
I added manual events with ***************** this was not log captured

larryp@2x4cnc:~$ linuxcnc
LINUXCNC - 2.9.4
Machine configuration directory is '/home/larryp/linuxcnc/configs/CNC2x4'
Machine configuration file is 'CNC2x4.ini'
Starting LinuxCNC...
linuxcnc TPMOD=tpmod HOMEMOD=homemod EMCMOT=motmod
iopl() failed: Operation not permitted
cannot gain I/O privileges - forgot 'sudo make setuid' or using secure boot? -parallel port access is not allowed
Note: Using POSIX realtime
Found file(REL): ./CNC2x4.hal
hm2: loading Mesa HostMot2 driver version 0.15
hm2_eth: loading Mesa AnyIO HostMot2 ethernet driver version 0.2
hm2_eth: 10.10.10.10: INFO: Hardware address (MAC): 00:60:1b:16:8a:55
hm2_eth: discovered 7I96S
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: Low Level init 0.15
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: Smart Serial Firmware Version 43
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: 51 I/O Pins used:
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 000 (TB3-01): InM Input Module #0, pin in0 (Input)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 001 (TB3-02): InM Input Module #0, pin in1 (Input)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 002 (TB3-03): InM Input Module #0, pin in2 (Input)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 003 (TB3-04): InM Input Module #0, pin in3 (Input)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 004 (TB3-05): InM Input Module #0, pin in4 (Input)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 005 (TB3-06): InM Input Module #0, pin in5 (Input)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 006 (TB3-07): InM Input Module #0, pin in6 (Input)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 007 (TB3-08): InM Input Module #0, pin in7 (Input)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 008 (TB3-09): InM Input Module #0, pin in8 (Input)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 009 (TB3-10): InM Input Module #0, pin in9 (Input)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 010 (TB3-11): InM Input Module #0, pin in10 (Input)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 011 (TB3-13/TB3-14): SSR #0, pin Out-00 (Output)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 012 (TB3-15/TB3-16): SSR #0, pin Out-01 (Output)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 013 (TB3-17/TB3-18): SSR #0, pin Out-02 (Output)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 014 (TB3-19/TB3-20): SSR #0, pin Out-03 (Output)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 015 (TB3-21/TB3-22): OutM Output Module #0, pin Out-04 (Output)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 016 (TB3-23/TB3-24): OutM Output Module #0, pin Out-05 (Output)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 017 (TB1-02/TB1-03): StepGen #0, pin Step (Output)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 018 (TB1-04/TB1-05): StepGen #0, pin Direction (Output)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 019 (TB1-08/TB1-09): StepGen #1, pin Step (Output)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 020 (TB1-10/TB1-11): StepGen #1, pin Direction (Output)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 021 (TB1-14/TB1-15): StepGen #2, pin Step (Output)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 022 (TB1-16/TB1-17): StepGen #2, pin Direction (Output)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 023 (TB1-20/TB1-21): StepGen #3, pin Step (Output)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 024 (TB1-22-TB1-23): StepGen #3, pin Direction (Output)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 025 (TB2-02/TB2-03): StepGen #4, pin Step (Output)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 026 (TB2-04/TB2-05): StepGen #4, pin Direction (Output)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 027 (TB2-07/TB2-08): Encoder #0, pin A (Input)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 028 (TB2-10/TB2-11): Encoder #0, pin B (Input)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 029 (TB2-13/TB2-14): Encoder #0, pin Index (Input)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 030 (TB2-16/TB2-17): IOPort
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 031 (TB2-18/TB2-19): IOPort
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 032 (internal): IOPort
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 033 (internal): SSR #0, pin AC Ref (internal) (Output)
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 034 (P1-01/DB25-01): IOPort
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 035 (P1-02/DB25-14): IOPort
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 036 (P1-03/DB25-02): IOPort
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 037 (P1-04/DB25-15): IOPort
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 038 (P1-05/DB25-03): IOPort
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 039 (P1-06/DB25-16): IOPort
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 040 (P1-07/DB25-04): IOPort
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 041 (P1-08/DB25-17): IOPort
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 042 (P1-09/DB25-05): IOPort
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 043 (P1-11/DB25-06): IOPort
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 044 (P1-13/DB25-07): IOPort
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 045 (P1-15/DB25-08): IOPort
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 046 (P1-17/DB25-09): IOPort
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 047 (P1-19/DB25-10): IOPort
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 048 (P1-21/DB25-11): IOPort
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 049 (P1-23/DB25-12): IOPort
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: IO Pin 050 (P1-25/DB25-13): IOPort
hm2/hm2_7i96s.0: registered
Found file(REL): ./custom.hal
Found file(REL): ./xboxctrl.hal
note: name is 'Microsoft X-Box 360 pad'
note: name is 'Microsoft X-Box 360 pad'
**************** This is the end of startup before Machine On was pressed, no logged events from Pressing Machine on.
**************** MDI: M3 S9000 - ran about 1 second
task: main loop took 0.124348 seconds
task: main loop took 0.100006 seconds
**************** MDI: M3 S14000 - ran about 1 second - note sometimes it runs for 3-5 seconds but never gets spindle to speed
task: main loop took 0.124488 seconds

**************** EXIT button pressed
qt.qpa.xcb: QXcbConnection: XCB error: 3 (BadWindow), sequence: 31380, resource id: 8630017, major code: 40 (TranslateCoords), minor code: 0
Shutting down and cleaning up LinuxCNC...
Running HAL shutdown script
task: 19007 cycles, min=0.000013, max=0.124488, avg=0.010070, 3 latency excursions (> 10x expected cycle time of 0.010000s)
hm2_eth: in hm2_eth_reset
hm2_eth: HostMot2 ethernet driver unloaded
hm2: unloading
iopl() failed: Operation not permitted
cannot gain I/O privileges - forgot 'sudo make setuid' or using secure boot? -parallel port access is not allowed
Note: Using POSIX realtime

If I understand right you have bit-arrays and need to create individual pins for each bit. You do that with complexEntry, for example like this.Create a close-to-working config using "lcec_configgen".
Debug output including config errors/warnings/info with "sudo dmesg" the last couple of lines.
 

Hey guys, ive just finished working on a homing sequence for my 6 dof robot arm using a puma560 config and its homing perfectly fine except for when the homing sequence is supposed to end, after all joints find their end sensors and drive to the home position, the joints pos is set correctly (in my case 0, 90, 0, 0, 0, 0), the simulator position matches the physical position but as soon as the sequence ends the genserkins position goes to these crazy values and i get a kinematics failure and cant move anything, below ive attached the ini and hal files aswell as a screenshot.

Hi,

share outcome from the command of
and 

then you will be able to create PDOs ...

If slave has DC or any configuration over SDOs - easist way is do it over TC3 - my experiences

Yeah, that's a good idea. I've been considering something like that. A simple auxiliary PLC to handle all the fast clamping stuff. It just gets a simple output pulse from the CNC that it follows like a metronome. It would need outputs connected to the E-stop and/or Feed Hold, in case it detects a timing conflict.  There is a good chance I will end up with something like that.

A complication is that the stock advance sets my length, which is one of the dimensions that must be adjustable. I'm thinking I'll use a servo to drive rollers to advance the part. But then I have to be able to adjust that servos movements somehow.

My first choice is to have it be a 4th axis so I can adjust it all in the CNC. A PLC could control it instead, some servo drives can store simple index positions in memory and cycle through them with simple inputs, but then I have to pass a variable from the CNC to the PLC/servo somehow. Or I have to have the operator enter that dimension somewhere else, which seems pretty clunky.

My wishlist for things I may want to modify in the control:

• Add a 4th axis. The fact that it's a feed axis might be weird, but I'm fine with having it "return to zero" between parts by just running the drive rollers backwards between loading the new material. if there is a software way reset to 0 that would be better.
• If the machine is not physically fast enough, I may want to upgrade with larger servos and tweak the acceleration.
• Possible I/O expansion though ethercat.
• A UI overlay. This isn't essential. But I would love to have a simpler interface for the day-to-day operation. Something that just shows the relevant details, has a counter, and a few input boxes for operators that would pass variables to the control that I use in my Gcode to make small changes to the geometry. I think i could write that in python pretty easily, but I don't know how feasible the passing of variables to PathPilot would be.  I would want to be able to exit to normal CNC UI easily. I'l save this project for last , after we are making good parts.

Halscope does indeed show scattered 1V spikes on parallel port pin 3 (what I'm using for estop ext).
Estop-ext was not debounced.

I tried it again unchanged, estop not debounced. When I enabled, it immediately had an estop. Re-enabled, it took 10 seconds to estop.
I added debounce in Hal and it's been enabled for 3 hours with no estop events. Looks pretty good, more time will tell for sure.

Unfortunately, part of the debounce code is in my machine-name.hal file, which will get overwritten if I run Stepconf. Another note to my "fixing after stepconf" file. The code:

In machine-name.hal, add an intermediate net estop-ext-raw:
#net estop-ext       <= parport.1.pin-03-in-not <<as written by Stepconf>>
net estop-ext-raw       <= parport.1.pin-03-in-not

In custom.hal:
loadrt debounce cfg=2
setp debounce.0.delay 100
addf debounce.0 base-thread
net estop-ext-raw => debounce.0.1.in
net estop-ext <= debounce.0.1.out

Thank you!

 

  Unfortunately I couldn't add anything more, here is the error report from linuxcnc.

I wish y'all had been around when I first configured my machine... 20 years ago.

After Tommy's first reply, I did some reading, and realized that since I have X and Y limits, configuring them as homing inputs as well would be trivial. And so it was, plus or minus a "+" or "-", here and there.

I think I never thought there was any point to having a true home, and really, I've gotten by without it until now. I hit the limit switches when jogging reasonably often, but they're soft-mounted, so it's not a big deal.

In any case, I'm fully configured with home+limits on X and Y now, and I have proper soft limits configured, so I'm all set. <Another high five!>

Secondary question: I don't have a Z+ limit switch. My mill is so slow I'd really have to not be paying attention for the carriage to get close to the stepper. A lower limit would be nice, but I really don't understand how that could work. My spindle is a router, so the bit length varies a lot. Is there any way to configure this to work? I see people say that they don't bother with a lower Z limit, and just rely on a soft limit there, but what would you set it to? Is there something about "real" spindles that I don't know? Are the bits always the same length?

I've played around with the wizard a lot and actually put together a good configuration. Unfortunately, LinuxCNC won't start, and after a day of back and forth, I'm pretty frustrated because the AI ​​seems to constantly assume an RTAI kernel and, despite my reminder, can't quite figure out how to use the RT kernel. Attached are the .ini and custom.hal files. How do I modify the files to make it run, or where can I get the specific information?

THANKS YOU tommylight that worked fine, I was able to switch the pin to Y limit only and cleared the
HOME_SEARCH_VEL = -0.0
HOME_LATCH_VEL = -0.0
HOME_FINAL_VEL = 0.0
No home action and the Y limit errors out when it moves to the limit.  Ran a G-code fine too.
I'm very happy you guys are great.
Now to move on with the rotary build.